1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a taking lens system and an image capturing apparatus, and more particularly, to a taking lens system where the image capturing magnification is variable and the zoom ratio is high.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with the spread of personal computers, digital cameras capable of easily capturing images have been becoming widespread. Moreover, the incorporation of a digital camera into information processing apparatuses such as mobile computers, mobile telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) has become common under such circumstances, smaller-size digital still cameras are required, and taking lens systems are also required to be smaller in size.
Moreover, image sensors that convert light into electric signals have been becoming more sophisticated in the number of pixels and other various points, and the product cycles of digital cameras tend to decrease. For this reason, taking lens systems are not only required to be small in size but also required to be high in performance and easy to manufacture.
Further, zoom lens systems are used as the taking lens systems of digital cameras, and it is also required to increase the zoom ratio to twice or higher than the conventional ratio of approximately 2 to 5. Zoom lens systems having an extremely high zoom ratio that can satisfy this requirement have conventionally been known.
However, although having a high zoom ratio, conventional zoom lens systems cannot be said to be small in size or high is performance.